This is what is wrong with Canadian TV and Radio.
Les Lye, 84, died a day or two ago. He had been on Ottawa radio and TV since the late 1940's, primarily on CJOH TV. Tons of press on this one.
There was a time that this town, and your town too, had local radio and TV stars; Les Lye was one of those. When you watch US TV, and I know you do, they have tons of local heroes that the local press and populace get excited about. In Canada, not so much.
Which brings me to Andrew Boyle. Mr. Boyle has been doing mornings for about a decade here in Ottawa, on Hot 89.9 and for the last five years on KISS FM. He also died this week, but only career wise. No press on this one.
Therein lies the problem. Back in the day, and that day is now south of the border, TV and Radio stations understood the value in promoting their talent, making them local heroes. Now they don't. They pay meagre wages, hire cheap, boring talent [just listen to radio, watch local TV in this country, it pretty much sucks right across the board] and wonder why they have trouble making beaucoup d'argent.
The contrast is there with these two talents. Mr. Lye hasn't worked for about 20 years in this market and will be missed; Mr. Boyle hasn't worked in this market for about 20 hours and won't. The reason is simple. Both were commodities but Mr. Lye was treated as a commodity that could be a longterm profit centre; Mr. Boyle was not.
WFDS
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